Sydney 5th April 1817
My dear Sir/
	As my departure from this Colony is now fixed I avail myself of the Occasion presented by your letter of the 11 March to say that tho’ I have had no great cause to regret leaving a Country where I have met with continual trouble and vexation yet still I have derived considerable gratification as by a residence here I have had the pleasure of becoming acquainted with you, and I am truly sorry to observe that trials similar to those which have been so successfully thrown round me, seem to be preparing for you, and that a spirit of Hostility towards you, has been and is still so very apparent in a quarter whence you were intitled to every support, so that it is even the common talk amongst a certain party that you are to be the next victim to caprice and dislike; I have also heard that expressions of such tendency have fallen from a person whose mind the station & office he holds, should have impressed the duty of strict impartiality and the necessity of keeping himself pure from any invi=dious statements ~ I do not however fear the result [f] though perhaps you may have a hard task & pregnant with much mortification. That you will finally make them ashamed I am sure & I need not add that it is my sincere hope, The contrary I will not contemplate. Every Man of Honorable Principle has for some time past found it difficult to struggle with the system pursued, should any accident happen to yourself, I shall consider the Colony as abandoned to utter ruin and all attempts in future to ameliorate its condition more than probable to prove ineffectual— Who is there within the Colony of sound principles that does not regret he ever entered it? What hope can there be left that any one will venture to do his duty if he is to be subjected to contumely, to be attacked Masque and annoyed in every mode for which a plausible pretext can be found?
	Your long residence here must have given you much experience. But I am confident you never felt such anxiety nor ever had so much to contend against or to feel from Prejudice Passion & Power as within these few last years— It is hard to be put upon a defence from unjust attack, & groundless calumnies. But when similar attacks are continued & with redoubled bitterness, who can continue the never ending contest.
	That you may wear through it I do most heartily wish and I look forward to the time when we may meet [f] with brighter prospects than when we part.
	I should have written to you much sooner, but the unexpected difficulties wich [sic] occurred to prevent my departure in the Ship Surry [sic], and of which you are not ignorant must plead my excuse. I beg my best remembrances to Mrs Marsden and am
My Dear Sir
Your very faithful Servant
(Signed) Jeffery Hart Bent
late Judge of the Supr[eme] C[our]t
N S Wales
To the Revd S. Marsden
Principal Chaplain
&c &c &c